


Cuddly

by WPAdmirer



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-21
Updated: 2011-02-21
Packaged: 2017-10-15 20:15:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/164555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WPAdmirer/pseuds/WPAdmirer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip gets caught in a practical joke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cuddly

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: Hey, sometimes real life sucks, and for those needing something upbeat and cuddly, well, at least this is upbeat.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Trip froze in place. He'd thought he'd be able to get his secret project finished before Malcolm returned from the planet, but clearly he'd misjudged the time.

"Well? I'm waiting, Commander."

Trip kept his back to Malcolm, shielding his work from prying eyes, and tried to think fast. He was usually pretty quick on his feet, but he'd been neck deep in this baby and was having a real problem shifting gears.

"Ah..."

"I'm growing older by the minute, Mister Tucker."

"But not a second's less attractive, " Trip responded.

The silence was heavy, and Trip cringed, readying himself for the shit storm that was about to burn his ass right up.

"Have we not had this discussion before?"

Oh, shit. No sir, no Commander, no Mister. Trip knew he was taking his life in his hands, but he couldn't turn back now.

"Ah..."

"You're repeating yourself."

Hells bells. Might as well take it like a man. Trip turned around slowly, keeping his hands behind his back, keeping the thing hidden that he knew was going to have Malcolm ripping him a new asshole. It had seemed like a funny idea at the time, but God in heaven, he should have thought it through before he let Hoshi and Travis dare him to do it.

"What are you hiding?"

"Hiding?"

"Behind you."

"Behind me?"

"If you do not explain yourself and stop repeating everything I say, I will go and get a phaser, stun you and then I will toss your sorry carcass to Chef."

"Nothing."

"What?"

"You said not to repeat what you said, so I was answering your question. Nothing."

"Move."

Trip knew better than to not do exactly as Malcolm said. He might not be the biggest man on Enterprise, but he'd waste no time kicking Trip's butt from one end of the ship to the other if the spirit so moved him. Trip took a deep breath and moved away from Malcolm's bunk.

Malcolm's blue-gray eyes widened.

"It's Eeyore." Trip made a little motion with his hand towards the furry toy on the bed.

"I'm well aware that it's Eeyore. I read Winnie the Pooh. That does not explain why he is on my bed, or why you are here with him."

"Pick him up."

Malcolm's eyes narrowed and his jaw set in a hard line. "Why?"

"Just do, okay?"

Malcolm reached out with one hand and delicately lifted the stuffed animal by one long ear. He cocked his head at Trip. "Now what?"

"Well, he's real soft."

Malcolm tentatively gave the creature a tiny squeeze. "All right."

"And he's English."

Malcolm's head whipped around and his stare seemed to Trip to be boring a hole right through his face.

"And he complains a lot."

"What does any of that have to do with me?"

"Ah..."

"We're not going back to that. Spit it out, Mister Tucker, or I'll choke it out of you."

"I told Hoshi and Travis you reminded me of this Eeyore toy I had when I was a kid because you were English, complained a lot, but inside you were really a softie and kind of cuddly."

"Cuddly?!"

"You are. Cuddly."

"Out."

"Malcolm..."

"Now."

"It's a compliment."

"There is absolutely no way on God's green earth that you can call comparing me to a complaining English donkey a compliment."

"I always liked Eeyore best."

Malcolm sighed. His hands squeezed the soft toy again. "He used to lose his tail, Trip."

"Yeah, but that little blond kid was always finding it for him and putting it back on."

Malcolm shook his head. "You're going to be the death of me, you know."

"Oh, God, I hope not, Malcolm."

Malcolm pulled the toy close and hugged it tightly. He turned to Trip with his familiar half grin. "He is cuddly."

"Just like you."

"Maybe I'll just spend the evening with him."

"What if you lose your tail?" Trip smiled. He knew he was already forgiven for his joke.

"I suppose I'll have to find a blond boy to help me find it. Can you think of someone?"

"Maybe I can fill in for him?"

"Perhaps you can. What do you think Eeyore?" Malcolm addressed the toy seriously. "Well, apparently he thinks you do. You're no Christopher Robin, but then, you've certainly never had any problem finding my tail, have you?"

"None whatsoever."


End file.
